Chapter 14.2, Problem 14.54P

Two small disks A and B of mass 2 kg and 1 kg, respectively, may slide on a horizontal and frictionless surface. They are connected by a cord of negligible mass and spin about their mass center G. At t = 0, G is moving with the velocity ${\bar{v}}_0$ and its coordinates are ${\bar{x}}_0=0$, ${\bar{y}}_0=1.89\text{m}$. Shortly thereafter, the cord breaks and disk A is observed to move with a velocity v_A = (5 m/s)j in a straight line and at a distance a = 2.56 m from the y axis, while B moves with a velocity v_B = (7.2 m/s)i − (4.6 m/s)j along a path intersecting the x axis at a distance b = 7.48 m from the origin O. Determine (a) the initial velocity ${\bar{v}}_0$ of the mass center G of the two disks, (b) the length of the cord initially connecting the two disks, (c) the rate in rad/s at which the disks were spinning about G.

Fig. P14.53 and P14.54